Flashpoint – September 13, 2019

What’s Happening?

The news stories today report on the suspension of Afghan peace process, Pakistan government’s views on Afghan war, consular access to Indian spy Kulbhushan Jadhav and anti-terrorism action in KP. Op-eds discuss the Afghan peace process and the need to declare rightwing Hindu group RSS a global terrorist.

Today’s News Stories

No second consular access to Kulbhushan Jadhav

Islamabad has ruled out second consular access to Indian spy-terrorist Kulbushan Jadhav. Responding to a question at the weekly press brief, Foreign Office spokesman, Dr. Muhammad Faisal said there was no second meeting of the Indian officials planned with convicted spy Kulbushan Jadhav after the recent consular access. “I cannot share any further details of the meeting between Commander Jadhav and Indian Consular Officer,” he added.

Two suspected terrorists held in Upper Dir

The Counter Terrorism Department (CTD) has claimed to have arrested two terrorists from Nakamai area of Upper Dir the other day. Sources in CTD said that after getting information about presence of of the two suspects the police cordoned off the area and launched an operation. They said that both the suspected terrorists were arrested. They said CTD officials recovered weapons and ammunition from them. They suspects were identified as Haya Khan and Attaullah, residents of Kunar, Afghanistan.

Prime Minister says it is unfair to blame Pakistan for US failure in Afghanistan

Prime Minister Imran Khan, highlighting the loss of lives and the damage to the national economy, said that it is unfair to blame Islamabad for the setbacks suffered by Washington in Afghanistan. In an exclusive interview to Russia Today, the premier dwelled on the damage the country suffered when it decided to side with the US post 9/11. “Had we not participated in the American war after 9/11, we would not have been the world’s most dangerous country,” said the premier.

Pakistan urges early resumption of Afghan peace talks

Pakistan has expressed the hope that the US-Taliban talks, which were abruptly suspended over the weekend, would soon resume and open the way towards intra-Afghan negotiations that would lead to a peaceful settlement of the long-drawn conflict in Afghanistan. “We hope that the suspension of peace talks is only a pause and will resume sooner rather than later as the alternative is a surge in violence, which could push Afghanistan into an even more turbulent and uncertain phase than has been witnessed so far,” Ambassador Maleeha Lodhi told the UN Security Council, while assuring of Pakistan’s role as a facilitator of the Afghan peace process.

Opinion

Why Trump calls off dialogue with Taliban?

Asif Durrani sheds light on the recent hiccup in the Afghan peace process after US President Donald Trump announced to called-off the talks. He says there are multiple factors that may have blocked any progress in the much anticipated peace agreement between the Taliban and the US. He says the Taliban ambitiously want complete withdrawal of foreign forces from Afghan soil. However, the US despite committing to initial withdrawal of 5000 forces, seems indecisive about the rest. The writer says on the other hand the Taliban didn’t respect the US demand of complete ceasefire ahead of the peace deal and convinced of their triumph, further intensified their attacks. He says, the CIA and Pentagon also didn’t support the idea of complete withdrawal from Afghanistan. The exclusion of the Afghan government from the entire process further complicated the issue, the writer notes.

Declare RSS a global terrorist organization

This editorial in Daily Nawaiwaqt urges the United States to declare Hindu right wing group, Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS), a global terrorist organization. It says the US has included TTP leader Noor Wali Mehsud, and 13 others belonging to Al Qaeda, Hizbullah, IS and many other organziations in the terror list. It says however, the fight against terrorism should be fought with objectivity instead of on the basis of personal liking and disliking. It says Pakistan has indiscriminately acted against all terrorist organization. Nawaiwaqt says the US and other world powers however fail to notice the activities of RSS which persecutes Muslims and other minorities in India. It urges the world to move against RSS to protect the lives of countless minorities.